1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information measuring apparatus used for measuring information supplied from a fine channel device suitable for conducting a chemical/physical manipulation such as feeding, chemical reaction, chemical synthesis, analysis of fluid fed into a fine channel.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a so-called integrated chemical laboratory in which a fine channel device comprising a glass substrate of several cm squared provided with a fine channel having a length of several cms and a width as well as depth of from sub-micrometer to several hundreds micrometer scale is used and a chemical/physical manipulation such as feeding, chemical reaction, chemical synthesis, analysis, separation, extraction, measurement and so on of fluid fed into the fine channel is conducted, has been noted. Such integrated chemical laboratory can provide a very efficient chemical reaction due to effects of a short diffusion length of molecule and a large specific interfacial area of fine space. Further, it is expected to provide an operational consistency of manipulation of chemical reaction, separation, extraction and measurement, to provide advantages such as quickness, labor-saving, resource-saving, energy-saving and space-saving in various research and development, and to provide a possibility of reduction of waste liquid or products resulted from experiments, rationalization in repeated experiments and so on.
An example of the conventional fine channel device is shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the fine channel device prepared in order to conduct the chemical/physical manipulation such as feeding, chemical reaction, chemical synthesis, analysis, measurement and so on of fluid in the fine channel has a substrate in which a concave portion corresponding to a fine channel is formed in only its one surface. When information measurement is to conduct in such fine channel device, it is impossible to conduct information measurement more than one time in the single fine channel device. When information measurement of several times is desired, it is necessary to replace frequently the fine channel device, and it is difficult to shorten a time for information measurement. Further, since it is necessary to replace frequently the fine channel device, there is a possibility of damaging accidentally the fine channel device. It was difficult to conduct stably and efficiently information measurement.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information measuring apparatus with a fine channel device by which information measurement can stably and effectively be carried out.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an information measuring apparatus having a fine channel device, the information measuring apparatus being characterized by comprising at least one detector for detecting information supplied from a plurality of measuring portions formed in the fine channel device, a position-holding/determining means for holding and positioning the fine channel device, a rotating means for rotating the fine channel device at a predetermined angle, and a position-determining means for positioning the measuring portions and the detector, wherein information supplied from the measuring portions in the fine channel device is detected successively by rotating the fine channel device at the predetermined angle.
In the information measuring apparatus, the detector for detecting information may comprise a light source for emitting light for measuring information and a driving means for driving the light source in an optical axis direction to focus the light.
Further, the fine channel device is provided with at least one inlet port for introducing fluid, at least one fine channel for feeding the introduced fluid and at least one outlet port for discharging the fluid, the fine channel device comprising a substrate in which a concave portion corresponding to a fine channel is formed in its at least one surface and a cover member laminated on the substrate so as to cover the surface with the fine channel.
Further, the fine channel device may be a lamination formed by laminating integrally one or more substrates and one or more cover members wherein the substrate has a concave portion corresponding to the fine channel formed in its at least one surface, and a cover member is laminated on the substrate so as to cover the surface with the fine channel. Thus, the problems in the above-mentioned conventional fine channel device can be solved.